Two Bills Drive

‘Most of the Bills insist they’ve put that loss behind them. They’ll tell you it’s a new season, with a bunch of new players. They’ll tell you they’re not thirsting for revenge in Sunday night’s opener at Ralph Wilson Stadium. And you don’t believe them. Looking into Cowart’s eyes, you can almost see the fire smoldering inside him. It has been nearly eight months since Kevin Dyson raced down the left sideline to steal a victory away. That is hardly enough time to forget. "The players who were in that game know how it felt," he said. "So we’ll be playing with a little more incentive. They’re the only team to beat us in 2000, so we want to pay them back."’

‘It would be an understatement to say the Tennessee Titans’ offense was like vanilla ice cream in last year’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. It was like non-fat vanilla ice cream. The Titans’ offense played an ultra-conservative game and squeezed out one touchdown and two field goals against the Bills’ defense. That was then. The Bills are staring at a Titans offense that looks a lot more balanced and dangerous this week as they prepare for Sunday’s rematch of the Music City Miracle at Ralph Wilson Stadium. "We’ve seen them go down the field a lot more than they did last year," said Bills cornerback Ken Irvin. "They have a different offensive coordinator this year, and with the receivers they have, why not?"’

‘"I feel good enough that I could contribute," Flutie said. "It feels real comfortable dropping back and setting up. All I’ve ever said was it would be somewhere in the first few weeks of the regular season." Flutie stayed out of the 11-on-11 drills as a precaution so he wouldn’t be tempted to make a fast cut. "It’s definitely not 100 percent right now," Flutie said. "It’s somewhere around 90 percent. I’ve played feeling worse."’

‘That’s why Buffalo fans have to be excited and intrigued by Rob Johnson. Whenever he throws the ball downfield, you’re reminded of why he was brought here in the first place, and of the possibilities contained in his right arm.’

‘Too many times, people said, "That’s just Bruce." In between his first and 171st sack, Bruce Smith – the man Wiley has replaced at defensive end – was suspended for four games after testing positive for drugs. He was involved in numerous contract disputes. He turned training camp into extended vacations. He took a nap at a red light. Wiley has 81/2 sacks in his career. Maybe he’ll never be the great Bruce Smith, but he could be better than most defensive ends in the NFL. He had to overcome back surgery but will be ready for the season opener this week against the Tennessee Titans. "Bruce has 170-something sacks," Wiley said. "Bruce is Hall of Fame. He’s already going to Canton, Ohio. The only way I’m going to Canton, Ohio, is if I get lost trying to go to Cleveland. That’s right now. When I’m done and I’m 35 years old, we’re going to talk a different talk. I’m not trying to catch Bruce in one year. That’s how you set yourself up wrong mentally. You set yourself up right by saying, "It’s my turn. I’m going to show them.’" So Marcellus isn’t Bruce. He’s the anti-Bruce.’

‘So that leaves Robert Hicks, who could be the most important figure in the core of this offense. Yes, that Robert Hicks. The 6-foot-7, 330-pound, anything-but-round right tackle enters his third season this year, and the Bills need him to play well if they want to move the ball. If he plays poorly, they could have problems. "Every team starts with the offensive line," Hicks said. "True, indeed, defense wins games, but the offense has to move the ball. If you don’t have a good offensive line, all the plays are going to falter. I have to play well."’

‘The game which turned around the franchise: The Dallas Texans, who would go on to win the American Football League championship in the second overtime game in football history, and became the Kansas City Chiefs the next season, came to War Memorial Stadium on Dec. 2, 1962. The largest crowd ever for a Bills’ game up to then, 35,261, jammed the place to see Jack Kemp play his first home game as a Bill. The new quarterback picked apart the Dallas defense and Buffalo won, 23-14. The crowd, probably loaded with Democrats, surged on to the field at the end and carried Kemp, who would be the Republican candidate for vice president of the United States 34 years later, through the Dodge Street tunnel on its shoulders. Bills mania was born that day.’

‘[Buffalo] Should be second-best team in AFC East, again.’

‘The feedback from the Bills fans hasn’t been as jovial. "I’ve gotten nasty mail," he said. "Stuff like ‘watch your back’ when I come to Buffalo (Oct. 8). I’m thinking maybe a couple of snowballs, but you never know when you get letters like that."’

‘There’s no depth left after they cut key players to get under the salary cap. They lost leadership in Bruce Smith and Schulz but managed to re-sign G Ruben Brown. There’s a quarterback controversy lurking if Rob Johnson, the designated starter, doesn’t produce. Doug Flutie has a lot of fans in Buffalo.’

‘Flutie always knew the Bills wanted it to be Johnson, and it would have stayed that way if he wasn’t getting donged so much. And if Flutie hadn’t gone 17-8 as the Bills’ starter. Flutie has told me that he thinks Johnson is very talented, a guy with a strong arm and yes, Flutie said, he can run too. But the fierce competitor in Flutie just wanted his shot last January 8 against the Titans. He thought he’d earned as much. Didn’t happen. He’s said some things. Johnson’s said some things. But nothing’s changed. Johnson starts, Flutie waits. The waiting game he’s good at. We’ll see what happens.’

‘"I feel good," Flutie said. "I wouldn’t want to run for a 40 time right now, because that would scare me a little bit … I’ve played in games when I felt worse than I do now." Rob Johnson will start Sunday nigh and Flutie said he didn’t know whether he would be in uniform for the game. Alex Van Pelt is the third quarterback and punter Chris Mohr would be the emergency quarterback if Flutie is not ready to play.’

‘The Bills believe the youth movement will add some flash to an offense that ran the ball more times than any other in the NFL last season. "Last year we didn’t scare people," Price said. "We didn’t give that threat out there. This year we have the emphasis of getting big chunks of yards, and I think we can put the fear into defenses." The Buffalo defense, which finished No. 1 in the NFL overall, has just three starters over 30 — defensive end Phil Hansen, nose tackle Ted Washington and safety Henry Jones. They’re 32 each. There’s also a 25-year-old Ivy Leaguer, Marcellus Wiley, replacing Smith at right end. "But he replaced someone too, and I don’t know that guy’s name," Wiley said. "Everybody is going to remember Bruce Smith here, I just want to let them know who Marcellus Wiley is. But you don’t get 170-some sacks in one year. You don’t go to Canton in one year."’

‘"There’s no way we’re going to put that behind us, but that’s not a motivation for revenge," defensive end Marcellus Wiley said. "This game only means we can be 1-0. The Super Bowl isn’t going to be won or lost this week."’

‘"We don’t need to discuss the details of that but I am pretty sure (the Bills) circled this game on their schedule," [Titans running back Eddie] George said on a conference call. "It’s going to be a great challenge. "I expect a hostile environment. I think we are all expecting that going up into Buffalo, especially the way it did end."’